In shaping technical and rate policies in the globally emerging Smart Grid, public utility commissions, and other regulators around the world can source IEEE 2030 as a reference document and primer.

Dick DeBlasio, Chair, IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee

The Smart Grid is bringing definitive change to the world of electricity and regulation is one area that will be touched by the transformation. For example, in the United States, regulation of electricity distribution and retail has been historically fragmented among the public utility commissions (PUCs) within each state—just as operation of the electricity grid historically has been “silo-ed” among about 3,000 utilities.

Losing the plot

THE cyber-attacks that have emerged in recent weeks have begun to sound like a screenplay. One unknown adversary destroys a German blast furnace by interfering with the computers that control it. An attack by the “Guardians of Peace” on Sony Pictures wipes its computers, loots its intellectual property and humiliates its bosses by publishing their private e-mails (see article). Another group called Lizard Squad ruins Christmas for millions by swamping video-game networks.

While the General Services Administration has made progress in strengthening the security of its information systems over the past year, the agency is falling short in several areas, including the need for a better organization-wide security program, an independent audit determined.

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The Oct. 28 report (pdf), which was only publicly released recently by the GSA IG, is partially redacted. It listed six areas of concern, but blacked out three of them.

A recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment did more than lead to the limited Christmas release for the movie “The Interview.” It also served as a cautionary tale for Finra’s pending data-collection proposal, according to a major financial industry interest group.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association has been trying to stop Finra’s Comprehensive Automated Risk Data System, which would enable the broker-dealer regulator to collect reams of brokerage account information on a monthly basis and analyze it for sales trends that could potentially harm investors.

In July of this year, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) filed a Motion to Quash in US District Court of the District of Columbia. ICANN explains that its “arguments were put forth when the victims of terrorism who had successfully won lawsuits against Iran, Syria and North Korea, sought to collect on those civil judgments.” The court order obtained by ICANN is attached here. The appeal by the victims of terrorism against the court order obtained by ICANN was filed on December 12, 2014.